Gyang Bere, Jos

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has warned that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Mallam Husseini, Halilu Pai, should be held responsible for any violence following his refusal to announce the Plateau North senatorial election results.

Chairman of the party, Hon. Damishi Sango who briefed Journalists in Jos on Wednesday rejected Plateau Central senatorial result and House of Representatives result for Panshin/Kanke, Kanam federal constituency.

He said INEC declared the results in the night under heavy military protection after they had declared the poll inconclusive in agreement with party agents and political stakeholders in the zone.

He said that there was palpable tension across the three senatorial zones, particularly Plateau North, where there were convincing figures that PDP won the senatorial and House of Representatives seats but the result was yet to be declared.

“It is glaring then to everyone that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji. Husseini, Halilu Pai, had compromised his position as an umpire. Consequently, he has set the whole of Plateau on tension which is a recipe for monumental crisis.

“We are saddened to note that four days after the conduct of the elections, INEC is yet to turn in the final results and declare the winners. The situation cuts across the three senatorial zones of the state. In the southern zone, INEC declared the election inconclusive after canceling the results of some units in Qua’an Pan and Wase LGAs.

“There was clear pressure on the Returning Officer to declare the result in favour of APC. In the Central Zone, INEC again declared the election inconclusive.

As a matter of fact, INEC and stakeholders alongside agents of the parties entered into a formal agreement for a re-run to be conducted in some units in Kanam.

“But very surprisingly, INEC summoned the Returning Officers under heavy military intimidation and ordered them to announce the result of the election in favour of APC. In the northern zone, we received reports from INEC officers on the ground and our agents that PDP had roundly won the election.

“INEC then picked Tudun Wada-Kabong ward, a stronghold of the PDP in Jos North LGA and withheld the results of all the 65 units with a total voter population of about 92,000 people. The commission, therefore, instructed the Returning Officers not to announce the results.”

He said Lalong wants a second tenure at the expense of the blood and peace of Plateau, saying the people will accept nothing less than justice.